Most spinning style fishing reels have some mechanism for snubbing or braking the pay out of the line. The mechanism is particularly useful during the initial back swing motion of the casting rod. As the casting rod approaches the high point of the casting arc, the snubbing or braking mechanism is released whereupon the line is free to pay out as part of the cast.
A common form of line snubbing or line braking mechanism is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,088,691 to Hull, issued May 7, 1963, and provides a brake ring in the housing against which the rear lip of spinner head engages to pinch the line therebetween thereby preventing the line from being cast or paid out.
Another form of line braking mechanism is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,105,651 to Hull, issued Oct. 1, 1963, wherein a brake ring is fixed on the front of the spinner head such that forward movement of the spinner head moves the brake ring against the inside surface of the front cover to pinch the line therebetween for preventing the line from being cast or paid out.
The prior art line braking mechanisms, although effective, have had problems in that they rely on the absolute concentricity of the mating parts. In the case of U.S. Pat. No. 3,088,691 to Hull, that means that the brake ring and rear lip of the spinner head must both be concentric in shape and concentrically mounted. The same is true for the inside surface of the front cover and the brake ring of U.S. Pat. No. 3,105,651 to Hull. Failure of the mating elements to be concentric and concentrically mounted means that the line might not be caught and braked when desired, which can spoil the effectiveness of the cast.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.